Contemplation:Love & Hate

Contemplation:Love & Hate

Love & Hate

Love blinds us to people's faults but hate blinds us to their virtues.

Why do you suffer so much when things that you have brought so close
to you are changed or lost?

It is because they are too close.

When someone damages your car and you suffer it is because you think
you are the car! This is the deepest mistake. It is the deepest
cause of the suffering called anger. You are not aware of this of
course, but if you were to take a moment and see what you were doing
in your own mind, you would see you have brought the image of the car
up on the screen of your mind. You have then gone into that image of
the car in your mind, and you have lost your 'sense of self' in the
image of the car. In effect you identify with the car. So if the car
outside is scratched or damaged in any way, it feels like it is
happening to you and, as a result, you become disturbed. The
disturbance is called anger. In spiritual terms this would be called
attachment. Attachment is a mistake we all make within our
consciousness and it creates what is known as ego. From a spiritual
point of view, ego is the root of all suffering, and all suffering can
be found and felt at an emotional level in the various forms of fear,
anger and sadness.

Soul Sustenance 

Radiating Positive And Powerful Energy

You will notice many people in your life who are very much in need of love but they attract the opposite energy. This is because the negative energy of lack of love for the self and low self esteem which they continuously radiate causes them to attract that same negative energy from others. In the same way, there are many people who are very much in need of success but they attract failure repeatedly. Failure is directly related to the quality of energy we radiate i.e. how positive and powerful our expectations of success are. Once we set the goals that we wish to reach, we need to be careful that we move towards our aim without creating the negative energy of fear inside our consciousness. Failure appears when we make an effort to achieve those goals and we damage the result or attract failure without us desiring so, simply because of our fears of failure. Even then, if at that step we feel that we have failed, we need to have a positive and constructive attitude.

We need to emerge the power to face and power of acceptance inside us. That way our creative energies will flow and we will carry on going forward without the failure (whether real or only perceived by us to be real but actually not real) becoming an obstacle in our path from doing so. Although at that time it may seem as though we have missed an opportunity or that some openings have closed for us, have faith and be fearless. If we are fearless and radiate positive and powerful energy, other possibilities will open up. We have this deep rooted belief that our fear will keep us safe, and we treat it like a comfort zone, a red signal that tells us that we should stop. Creating a time every day to do something that you fear, helps you to re-condition yourself internally to begin to see the fear as a green signal and to develop inner courage, so that you can move towards your goal of success. Each day, do what you fear and the fear will soon be removed.

Message for the day 

The one who is accurate in every thought, word and deed is the one who becomes praise-worthy.

Projection: We do take care most of the times to see that our words and actions are not negative, but sometimes we are not as attentive with our thoughts. When there are waste thoughts we are not able to make even our words and actions right.

Solution: Instead of making great efforts to change our actions and our words, we need to pay special attention to our thoughts. When our thoughts are right filled with good wishes for others as well as for the self, we find that they become accurate. And with this comes accuracy in our thoughts and actions too.

Contemplation: Embrace Change

Contemplation: Embrace Change

Iceland-Aurora borealis

Embrace Change

When you are aware and accept that everything around you is constantly changing, and that you have no control over 99.99% of it, you are able to embrace change like a close friend! Change is a like a river, constantly flowing and moving things around. The river of life is constantly bringing you ideas, people, situations - each one is an opportunity to be enriched or to enrich others, and to learn. Change is the play of the universe as it entertains us in the biggest light and sound show of all time. Why not sit back and enjoy the show?
relax7

There is a common notion (belief) that positive thinking

makes one 'soft', a bit weak. But quite the opposite is true. The more we
understand and experience our own inner qualities and powers and
realize our own weaknesses, the stronger, more stable and less
dependent we become on others.

Soul Sustenance 


Natural Qualities and Acquired Qualities

When we look at ourselves from outside we can only see the surface of what we have become. We can't see or perhaps cannot even imagine the inner core (center), which, like in the example of the coconut, is the only part that really can nourish us and give us energy. The shell (in the case of the coconut) serves as a protection but we certainly can't eat it.

In our case, the core (center) consists of natural or inner qualities such as peace, love, power, truth, happiness and so on. The shell is the ego which consists of features or personality characteristics we have acquired through the journey of our lives such as experiences, abilities, memories, learning, habits and beliefs – in short, all that we are referring to when we say: 'I am so-and-so, from such-and-such family or organization or city'.

While we are limited to these acquired characteristics, our true qualities remain inaccessible. Through deep reflection and meditation we can break the shell and activate our inner qualities from which our values or principles are born.

Message for the day 

True contentment brings contentment to others as much as to the self.

Projection: When we have to do something, we usually do it the way we like. We don't bother about others and only see if we are happy about it. So we find that others are not content with us although we are happy with what we are doing.

Solution: Our actions need to be such that they do not cause sorrow to anyone so we need to check our actions and change them. When we do something in the right way others will be content with us as much as we are.

Contemplation: Pure Diet‏

Contemplation:  Pure Diet‏

Pure Diet

Three square meals a day is a norm we are all taught. But what about the quality of the food. What is good and what is poison. The historians, the biologists and the marketing men have all convinced us that eating meat is both normal and good...but is it? Filled with antibiotics to keep the animal healthy, filled with the adrenaline of an animal that knows it's about to be slaughtered, filled with chemicals to keep it looking good at the point of purchase, do we really know what's in it? The 'industrialisation' of animal production is a language which in itself signifies an attitude of disdain towards conscious beings who have their own dignity and their own ways of showing us their affection. But we say that they know no pain, so it is OK to kill and consume them. Stand on your dogs foot, or accidentally put a needle in your cat, and we are reminded that they know pain as acutely as we do. In fact they often have a greater sensitivity and empathy to our moods than we have to our own. Entrusted with the caring of our planet and it's animal kingdoms what do we do... we grow them, kill them and eat them. Perhaps it is no wonder we are reaping the fruits of those actions. So what do you think, to eat or not to eat, to care or not to care, to break out of the lazy mindset that says, "But its always been that way", or perhaps to say, "maybe, just maybe, this is not the right way!"
relax7

A single positive thought helps in changing the entire situation.

When I am faced with a negative situation the first thought I usually get
is a negative one. The thoughts that I follow are naturally negative
too because the mind looks for reasons to sustain that negative frame
of mind. I need to make the effort of intentionally taking a positive
thought, thus I find all other connected positive thoughts coming up
naturally this is because the situation doesn't look so difficult or
challenging with my positive frame of mind.

Soul Sustenance

Understanding The Mechanism Of The Virtue Of Peace (Part 3)

To experience the eternal peace of the soul world, I do the simple exercise explained yesterday and then go a step further. Having created the thought about myself that I am a sparkling star-like energy at the centre of the forehead, just above the eyebrows, visualized it and as a result experienced it, now my objective is visualizing my star like form in the soul world. With this objective in mind, I now create a simple thought that I the star-like energy will make a short journey to the soul world and back. So I create simple thoughts and visualize alongside that I, the soul am leaving my physical body and flying outside. Then I, see my star like form, slowly fly past the ceiling of the room I am in and see myself suspended in the sky (night sky makes the visualization more easy). I see myself as a point of radiant light high above many many buildings and lights. This is similar to what one would see from an aeroplane window while landing or taking off. I then see my light form going higher, past the atmosphere and going past a sea of stars and a few planets and the moon. I then take this visualization further and see myself entering the soul world, a region of soft orange-red light (this is similar to how it looks like at dusk). This region is multidimensional and unlimited in size or expanse. I see my star-like form suspended in this region, radiating rays of peace in all directions. I also see other white/golden star-like souls just like me in the same region. I spend some time in this region, in this experience. In this region my thoughts stop completely and I am only visualizing.

This is the eternal peace experienced whilst visualizing the spiritual self in the soul world. The peace experienced in this exercise is greater than in the exercise mentioned yesterday. Thus the sanskara of peace created in the soul in this exercise is deeper. After a few minutes of this experience, I see myself descending in the physical body in exactly the same way as I flew to the soul world. This is just a visualization exercise or experience and the soul does not actually leave the body and go anywhere. The two practical exercises explained in yesterday's and today's message can be used to experience the two types of peace mentioned. At one time, you can choose to either experience both types or only the first one. You can start with a few minutes and increase the time gradually. Continuous practice will create stronger sanskaras of peace and take you closer to your original state of peace.

Message for the day

Even the most difficult task is made easy with the cooperation of all.

Projection: When given a responsibility we usually think of doing it alone. We usually feel it is much easier not to involve many. We do this in order to avoid the different kinds of personalities that we have to deal with.

Solution: When involved in a big task, we need to see to it that we involve many. When we involve many and make sure we make use of their specialities even the most difficult task will be made easy. Secondly, the good wishes of all involved will be for the task which will add to its success.

Contemplation:  Patience

Patience

Patience is a virtue and a power too. Patience tells us that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and that we get over there one step at a time. Patience teaches us not to rush. Knowing that there is a reason and a season for everything it enables us to smile at the challenges, realizing that there is an answer to every problem. And, even though we cannot see it, yet there is awareness that within every crisis lies an opportunity.

A deep understanding and an attitude of pure feelings results in
positive thinking.

When we talk about positive thinking, it is usually just 'think
positive' and 'be positive'. But just saying this, either to others or
to myself, doesn't help to change my thoughts permanently, in fact
usually, not even temporarily. Real positive thinking is much deeper
than just to think positive. For this I need to understand and see
things as they are, without colouring them with my own attitudes. Then
I can deal with things in the most appropriate way, having understood
everything accurately.

Soul Sustenance

Understanding The Mechanism Of The Virtue Of Peace (Part 2)

Yesterday we have explained how the virtue of peace works in human souls through the cycle of life. In today's message we explain (with reference to yesterday’s message) how we can experience our original state of peace experienced during the initial phases of the birth-rebirth cycle. Tomorrow we shall explain how we can experience the eternal peace of the soul world. To have both these experiences, the basic principle that I need to remember is that to experience peace, I need to concentrate on it – concentration means creating thoughts about it and visualizing it at the same time. Secondly to access peace, I need to separate myself from my body and surroundings. So how do I bring these two principles in practice?

The first chapter of the Rajyoga meditation course as taught by the Brahma Kumaris in each of its centers states a simple fact and makes me realize it that I am not this body but I am an eternal soul, a non-physical star like spiritual energy, situated at the centre of the forehead, just above the eyebrows, the original nature of which is peace. The body is my vehicle. Now, to experience the peace experienced during the initial phases of the birth-rebirth cycle, my mind picks the above fact or wisdom from my intellect, which is a reservoir of spiritual knowledge and where the above fact is stored. Then, my intellect, which possesses the decision making ability judges the thought as to whether it is a right or wrong one. If my intellect is convinced about the fact, it judges the thought as right. Next, I take this process further. Along with creating this thought I visualize this thought on the screen of my mind i.e. see my star-like white/golden light form just above the eyebrows radiating white/golden rays of peace in all directions. I do this exercise for a few minutes. This exercise then leads me to an experience of peace, as a result of which a sanskara of peace is created. This is the peace experienced whilst visualizing the spiritual self inside the body – it is the peace experienced in the initial phases of the birth-rebirth cycle.

Message for the day

To understand that each one is unique is to have respect.

Projection: We usually expect others to change according to our expectations. We actually want everyone to get moulded according to our own value system. But it doesn't happen so because each one is different.

Solution: We need to understand that each one is unique with their own specialities. When we look at others in this way we will no longer expect others to change according to our wish but will have full respect for them.

Contemplation: Past is Past

Contemplation: Past is Past

Past is Past

Let the past be the past and learn a lesson from the past and be cautious in the future.

Meditation

Meditation gives me a discerning eye - an ability to discriminate between truth and falsehood. It does this by helping me maintain a consciousness that helps me rise above competing claims to truth – the different ideologies and opinions, reasons and analyses, justifications and stories related to a situation - which can be so confusing.

Meditation opens my third eye, the eye of pure consciousness. When I look at the world through this eye, truth is not just an intellectual idea, but an experience of the heart. When I think and act in ways that maintain and deepen this experience of truth, I know I am moving in the right direction.

Conversely, I discover that thoughts and behaviours that cloud or hide the experience of truth are coming from falsehood, no matter how much I or others may try to justify them. So, meditation gives me a reliable basis for discerning the value in different courses of action: will this help me recover my truth, or take me further into falsehood? Will it maintain the flow of love, peace and happiness in my heart, or will it cause a blockage? Previously, I may have been easily swayed by other people's demands and opinions, or by illusory ways of thinking arising from my own negativity. Like a good lawyer, the intellect is very clever at arguing its case, regardless of where the truth may lie. But, when truth is experienced in and from the heart, there is no arguing with it. Deeply experienced truth clears my mind of irrelevancies created due to possessiveness, greed, desires and ego. As I learn to create pure, positive thoughts, and connect with the divine, it is as though a flow of clear, fragrant water gradually displaces the mud and rubbish in my intellect, enabling me to see reality or truth again.

To be constantly enthusiastic is to experience freedom.

When everything is going on well I find myself enthusiastic and have
the interest to move forward. But when even a little thing goes
wrong, I lose all enthusiasm to do anything else. This creates a
bondage for me and I find it difficult to move forward. I need to
remind myself that to be enthusiastic in all situations is to be like
a free bird reaching great heights. To lose enthusiasm according to
difficult situations is to be like a caged bird.

Soul Sustenance 

Understanding The Mechanism Of The Virtue Of Peace (Part 1)

Each and every human soul's original trait or characteristic is peace. Before each soul comes down on the earth to take its first physical body, the soul is in a state of complete peace, residing in the soul world. In the soul world, the two faculties of the soul – the mind and intellect are complete inactive or dormant and the third faculty, the sanskara or spiritual personality is only that of eternal peace and purity and no other virtue like happiness, love or knowledge. The mind is completely silent, not creating a single thought or emotion or feeling nor possessing an attitude. The intellect which possesses the power to discriminate right thoughts, words or actions from the wrong ones does not exercise its power because there are no thoughts, words or actions in the soul world, so there is nothing there to discriminate. The sanskaras (as mentioned above) are also inactive to a certain extent – there are no thoughts, feelings, emotions, attitudes, words or actions to be created or processed, which would be based on the sanskaras or personality.

When the soul first takes a physical body on the world stage, it creates thoughts and feelings which are few in number and they are only positive and its words and actions are also limited and completely positive. Its discrimination power is active and completely accurate and its sanskaras or personality come into an active mode (sanskaras other than peace also become active) but only for a positive purpose to create positive thoughts, words or actions. As a result of this, the soul experiences immense peace, but the extent of the peace is lesser than that of in the soul world, where it is completely still and experiences dead silence or peace. It is never peaceless though at this stage. As the soul starts coming into the process of birth and rebirth, its starts losing its energy slowly; its mind, intellect and sanskaras start functioning negatively or incorrectly, it begins to succumb to the vices, leading to the creation of thoughts, words and actions, which are not only large in number but they are mostly waste or negative in nature. As a result, the soul gradually begins to lose its peace, which it experienced in the soul world (eternal peace) and at the start of its journey on the physical world and starts becoming peaceless.

Tomorrow we shall explain how we can return to our original state of peace.


Message for the day 

The way to get blessings is to be open to learning.

Projection: We do get both negative and positive situations in our life. When we are faced with negative situations we usually expect blessings from God or someone great by which the negativity in our life will fully finish. But it doesn't usually happen so.

Solution: The method to receive blessings is to go on learning from the experiences of life. To learn means never to repeat mistakes by learning from whatever has happened. This learning acts as a lift for us, which takes us forward.

Contemplation: Gentleness

Contemplation: Gentleness

Gentleness

To help, without taking root in someone else's mind, requires great gentleness.

When the mind is on auto-pilot, habits take over.

Accidents occur when we say things we don't intend
and crash into others' feelings.
To switch off the auto-pilot,
become fully aware, gain control over your mind
and redirect your attention towards positive habits.

Soul Sustenance 

Practical Positive Response Training To The Mind (Part 3)

In last two days’ messages, we have explained the process of restoring positivity in the mind when faced with a negative situation, where the most common response is a negative one but the mind can be trained to respond in a different way, in a positive way. Today we explain this process with an example.

e.g. You have just had a major argument with your spouse and have lost your temper. At that time, not only your mind but your physical body also feels uncomfortable - it is in a state of complete stress. You feel your blood pressure has suddenly shot up, your heart is beating fast, you feel uncomfortable in the stomach, your hands are shaking, your face and eyes are red. On top of that, you also feel sad. You have behaved like this many times before and you know the results of responding in this way. The relationship has been scarred and you have worsened a situation. This could have been avoided. There is sorrow, guilt, low self esteem and hopelessness over your loss of control. Also, there is a fear regarding your future, not necessarily a long term one, because things will get sorted out sooner or later, but a short term uncertainty does exist, especially regarding what your spouse's response will be in the next few hours or days. In this state of mental and physical helplessness or desperation, anger may come again either projected towards yourself or towards your partner, which will be followed by the same effects, worsening your state further. In this moment of lack of spiritual wisdom, you remind yourself of the simple wisdom that you are in fact a soul. Even while you are still caught up in the turmoil of the negative situation, using your intellect, you consciously emerge inside yourself, your true awareness of being a sparkling point of peaceful light situated just above the eyes, at the center of the forehead. You not only become aware but you also use the intellect to visualize your true, peaceful, spiritual and star-like form clearly. In that moment, you are able to tap into the reservoir of peace that is present deep inside your being. You calm your mind by holding on to this awareness for a few minutes. You feel - you know - that you are peace. As this experience grows, it has a soothing effect on your whole physical system. Gradually, stability and peace are restored to your body as well as your mind.

Message for the day 

When we have the switch of awareness on, our mood will never go off.

Projection: When something goes wrong we find that our mood goes off immediately. We then lose all enthusiasm and all our thoughts become negative. To change negative thoughts to positive then becomes difficult.

Solution: Like one single switch brings light into a dark room, our own switch of awareness will bring positivity in our mind. We can take a thought like 'I am the master of my own life' or 'nothing can go wrong today' right in the morning. When we have this awareness on, we will never have our mood off.

Contemplation: Determination

Contemplation: Determination

Determination

It is because you are determined, not flawless, that you attain perfection.

Honour the small achievements of those around you.

Usually the big achievements are given all the attention and it's the small achievements which often go unnoticed.

Today, credit or praise someone in private,
acknowledge them in a meeting or
put a congratulations note on the fridge door.

The Supreme Source(Supreme Soul) 

has the power to remind us of what
we were because His original state of being is permanent; He never
forgets Himself, is never polluted and remains forever true to Himself
in the state of spiritual or soul consciousness. As a result, He is
the copy of what we were, of what we are to become. Very simply, the
qualities of peace, love, purity, happiness and truth
are there in Him, visible and available to those who wish to tune in
and receive.

What we remember, we become, and so it is important to remember the
right things. Number one on the list is thoughts of the original self
and the Supreme Source.

Imagine two points of energy (light): one here on the earth, in time
and matter, and the other beyond the earth, in another world of
silence and peace. When these two points connect through the power of
thought and feeling there is a union, which allows for a flow of
energy and the experience of our true being. 'I, the soul, the
point, am here and the Supreme Soul, also a point of energy (light),
is up there'. However, love and remembrance bring such closeness that
there is no feeling of distance or separation.

To achieve remembrance that empowers (strengthens), we need to plug in
every day to the Supreme Source in silence, in a way that is beyond
ritual or sound. It is a personal connection, which requires no
audience and no rules, only an honest heart. When a person has a
positive intention (purpose), the plug of love fits into the socket
and the self receives whatever it needs, whatever is useful for it to
create and sustain a life of quality.

Soul Sustenance 

Practical Positive Response Training To The Mind (Part 2)

If I believe that I am just the physical body and that my thoughts are simply results of chemical and electrical processes in the brain, and not something I can consciously control, I let go of the key of taking charge of what is going on inside my mind. In meditation, my intellect recognizes and realizes that my thoughts are my own creation, of me the soul and not the body and that I, the soul, using the intellect, which is also a part of the soul, can make choices about them.

When I realize that my natural state is to be the master of my mind and not to be dictated by it or dictated by the brain, I start taking charge of what is going on inside. When I practice being a master of my mind repeatedly by practicing meditation regularly, the new habit of creating only positive thoughts settles inside me and my habit of responding negatively with a negative state of mind to negative situations, begins to change over a period of time. I start responding positively even to negative situations. So, meditation is a major transformation process of the habit of thinking negatively, which then has positive results on my personality and behavior.

Tomorrow we shall further clarify the process which has been explained in today’s and yesterday’s message, with an example.



Message for the day 

When we change our world changes.

Projection: We usually wait for the world to change, sometimes the world at large and sometimes our own little world. Since it is not in our hands we don't find it changing according to what we want and we give up trying. We rarely think of changing ourselves which is possible.

Solution: When we change, our thoughts and attitude change too. We are then able to look at the people and our world around us with a different vision. Thus we find that our world changes, not so much in the situation as much as in our own perception.